The Mission

The mission of The Face of Mercy is to provide mental health advocacy and education within the Church in order to encourage Her to love better, as we strive to be ‘merciful like the Father.’ (Luke 6:36)

 

“Mercy is the very foundation of the Church’s life. All of her pastoral activity should be caught up in the tenderness she makes present to believers; nothing in her preaching and in her witness to the world can be lacking in mercy.”

Pope Francis, Misericordiae Vultus

 

suicide

is the 2nd leading cause of death for young people
original source

1 in 5

US adults had a mental illness in 2018
original source

50%

of adults will have a mental illness in their lifetime
original source

The Why

In the average parish, 50% of the individuals will experience a mental illness at some point. Is the Church prepared to walk with them? Most parishes will have an adolescent or young adult commit suicide, are those around prepared to wrestle with that unique grief with the family and loved ones? Or even more mundane, every Sunday, in every congregation, almost 20% of the people attending are struggling with depression, anxiety or some other mental illness. Are our words and actions helping them grow closer to Christ in the struggle or convincing them that until they are better they are not welcome in Church? 

Many Catholic circles (parishes, lay ministries, religious communities, etc.) have little understanding of mental health and illness. No standard mental health training exists that provides education needed for the person-to-person ministry that happens in these pastoral settings. Sometimes in homilies or at catholic events, advice is given, out of ignorance, that could be harmful to many struggling with mental illness that are in the audience. As a Church, a better understanding of mental health and what it means to be human will serve to help us love better, as we serve to be ‘merciful like the Father.’ (Luke 6:36)

Prayer and virtue are absolutely important. I don't mean to downplay that. However, faithful Catholics know this and often default to those being the only relational tools. Dysfunctional families and unhealthy people take advantage of this all the ti
You don't need to know your cousin's mental illness diagnosis. You don't need to know the details of a friend's loss and grief. You don't need to know why someone is having mental health struggles. You just need to show care and compassion. Recog
Nine days until our fundraising auction goes live! Have you registered yet? You can in the link in my bio or in my stories! I am so excited about the items we have this year and the new donors! Check out nine of the donors in the next slide and sta
There are so many small things each person in the Church can do to make it a more welcoming place for those living with mental illness! These few jump out at me as taking little effort and having a big impact on others. Assume the best of others. Al

The Plan

  • Developing online mental health training courses and in person workshops.

  • Speaking engagements on mental health, emotionally healthy spirituality & formation, and practical ways to end stigma.

  • Correcting misconceptions and providing psycho-educational information through informal talks (theology on tap, parish events), website, and social media presence.